Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily through coughing and sneezing. There is no treatment for mumps, and it can cause long-term health problems. The best way to protect against mumps is to get the measles-mumps-rubella shot (called the MMR shot). Doctors recommend that everyone get the MMR shot.

As of Tuesday, October 24, there have been 58 cases of mumps detected in the cluster on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, two at Loyola University, four cases in Baton Rouge, three cases in Lafayette, and one additional case in Alexandria, Monroe, and Lake Charles.